


Oh we (we're not forever), could be (you're not the one), the best

by Marishna



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Awesome Laura, BAMF Laura Hale, Band Fic, Bassist Derek, Battle of the Bands, Bisexual Derek Hale, Bisexual Stiles Stilinski, Drummer Stiles Stilinski, Growing Up, Love/Hate, M/M, Mentioned Jackson Whittemore, Mentioned Vernon Boyd, Musician Derek, Musician Stiles, POV Derek Hale, POV Stiles, Past Kate Argent/Derek Hale, Past Stiles Stilinski/Theo Raeken, Pre-Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Songwriter Derek Hale, Songwriter Stiles Stiliniski, mentioned past Stiles Stilinski/Theo Raeken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 19:33:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5838160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marishna/pseuds/Marishna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek Hale’s breakup from his band, The Hunters, was legendary. Even more so his breakup with lead singer, Kate Argent. Derek’s an amazing bass player—with a crappy attitude to match—but when the Scott McCall-fronted band Alpha gets a video audition from him to be their new bassist they can’t refuse. Even if drummer Stiles Stilinski has doubts about how well they’ll play together they can’t turn down the opportunity of a lifetime that could finally help them win the Battle of Beacon Hills and a shot at a recording contract. But that doesn’t mean he has to like the idea, or Derek Hale himself, even if he’s harbored a crush on the man since the first time he saw him step on stage. It’s just business! A shot at fame and nothing more. ... Probably.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh we (we're not forever), could be (you're not the one), the best

**Author's Note:**

> This is my mini bang submission for LJ's sterek_big_bang. I don't know if I caught the exact feelings I was hoping to with this but I like the relatively slow burn I got with this one. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> The art was done by Val Brown on tumblr and the soundtrack she made can be viewed/listened to here: http://jenny-1981.tumblr.com/post/138187219850/the-soundtrack-for-marishnas-sterek-big-bang-fic

"Can I say, once again, that absolutely _hate_ Jackson Whittemore?" Stiles declared as he threw himself dramatically in one of the ratty chairs in his and Scott's rented house.

"You can," Allison replied. "Just don't say it loud enough for Lydia to hear you."

"She can't possibly want that jackass back?" Stiles asked incredulously.

"I don't know if she wants him back so much as wants to kick his ass," Allison replied thoughtfully.

"I want to kick his ass for abandoning us and making us go through this hopeless search," Stiles sighed, running his hands through his hair, making it stick up in different ways.

"It hasn't been _that_ bad," Kira piped up. She looked around at everyone's dubious faces. "Right?"

"We could do worse," Scott said, nodding. "But we could do better, too."

Stiles let his head flop back against the barely-padded arm of the chair and sighed. 

He never liked Jackson but he _was_ a good bassist. So good that he was scooped up by another band and basically flipped them off as he walked away from the group he'd been part of for five long, hard-fought years. 

He was part of their "pack" as they affectionally called themselves by default because Lydia was one of them and they were dating. He had moments of being a decent human being but more often than not he was a pompous, arrogant jackhole.

But now he was gone, off to chase fame and fortune that he thought Alpha was never going to achieve, even though the Battle of Beacon Hills was quickly approaching. He doubly screwed them by leaving them without a bassist and by making everyone else feel like sacks of shit for even trying to believe they'd make it. 

As much as Stiles hated Jackson for hurting Lydia and leaving them, it was the slap in the face that he thought they were shadowboxing with the idea of winning the Battle and actually signing a contract. Alpha was more than a band to Stiles, it was his _family_ and he would never stop believing that together they could do amazing things. 

" _Motherfucker_ ," Stiles muttered under his breath but no one heard him.

Finding someone to fill Jackson's spot with time ticking quickly by before the Battle was becoming more and more daunting. It didn't help that they all wanted someone who was going to _click_ with them. And that Stiles was a picky son of a bitch. 

Because Alpha was his family Stiles believed his family deserved only the best, much to the eye-rolling frustration of everyone to varying degrees. He was the drummer, he kept the beat and everything running on key, both on stage and off. Scott was the lead guitarist and singer and their spokesperson. He was the most easy going and like a brother to Stiles. 

Allison was Scott's girlfriend and their keyboardist. She had the best damn smile and was able to keep the band on track and Scott and Stiles got carried away with their own thing. 

Kira was the most recent addition to the band, brought on board when Scott and Stiles wanted to experiment with their sound. Kira played the saxophone and electric violin on some songs but beyond that she had an amazing ear and ran their soundboard during most shows. 

"We have a couple more Youtube submissions. Want to go through those?" Scott asked and everyone mumbled their agreement. The tone of the room was more tired and weary than excited and anticipatory but it was what they were working with by this point.

"Let's do this," Stiles replied with grim determination, and they huddled around Scott's laptop as he queued the first video.

***

Derek knew giving his sister a key to his place was a mistake.

One she proved by letting herself into his apartment after he ignored her knocking, and collapsed on the couch beside him, pressing herself up against him in a smothering way.

"What are you doing?" Derek grumbled with enough whine that even he could hear it as he tried to extract himself from her grasp without losing his place in the book he was reading.

"I was bored and thought 'what would make me the most happy right now and my brother the least?'. So here I am!" She told him with a shit-eating grin.

"You're the worst," Derek groaned but put his book aside after carefully marking the page.

"Been out of the house today?" 

Derek shrugged.

"Der," Laura started with a sigh.

Derek held his book up. "Look, you told me to get a hobby and now I have one. I'm catching up on all the reading I haven't been able to do for the past five years."

Laura gave him her 'bullshit' look. "A hobby is yoga or joining a motorcycle club or taking a class at the college or something, you moron."

"Next time be more specific when you command me to do things that have no impact on your life," he retorted sarcastically.

"Wrong. It does affect me. Because I have to take time out of my busy day to come over here and make sure you're still functioning and not sitting in a pile of Cheetos and your own filth," Laura said bluntly.

"Fuck you, I'm not that bad," Derek shot back and caught Laura's mumbled, "Yeah, _now_."

He turned to face her fully. "I'm _fine_."

She faced him, too, challenging him. "Picked up your guitar lately? In the past, say, three days?"

Derek shrugged again.

"From the time you got that thing when you were fourteen you haven't been able to go more than a day without picking at a single string."

"I"m discovering myself," Derek replied smugly, throwing her words from the week before back at her.

"Discovering yourself after a breakup and totally abandoning your soul are two very different things, butthead."

"My _'soul'_? Since when did you get so dramatic?" He tried to push up from the sofa but Laura grabbed his arm and sprawled across his lap to hold him down.

"Since I watched my brother turn into a goddamn pod person. You haven't said a single word about Kate si—"

"Because there's nothing to say," Derek said firmly and easily moved Laura off his lap before he stood up quickly, tension running through his body.

"You didn't do anything wrong, you know," she said softly. Derek didn't turn around. "Whatever she said or did or didn't do—none of it is _your_ fault, Der. You got the short end of the stick and that _sucks_ but, man. You gotta suck it up and —"

"And _what_ , Laura? Go on like nothing happened? Start myself a one-man band singing acoustic versions of love ballads and break up anthems? Pretend like I'm happy and everything's great so you don't have to check up on me and make sure I haven't drowned myself in my own fucking tears?"

"You _can't let her win_!" Laura yelled back, surging to her feet and shoving at Derek. "That bitch has taken everything from you and I'm _so sick_ of watching you accept that without fighting back!"

"For _what_? My place in the band? The songs back that she stole? It's all done, Laura. There's nothing I can do!"

"You can show her you're _better than her_! Better than that shitty fucking band she thinks is going to be the biggest thing since the Beetles! She can't win!"

Derek shook his head at Laura with a wan smile. "Doesn't matter anymore. She already did."

Laura opened her mouth to keep arguing, to push Derek for a reaction or a sign that there was fight still in him but he started walking away. 

"Lock the door when you leave, please."

Laura watched him disappear down the hallway and then heard his bedroom door shut with finality.

***

_"Still no progress on the brother front, huh?"_

Laura sighed as she unlocked her apartment door with her phone tucked between her chin and shoulder. "He's in denial or something. I don't know what else to do, Erica."

_"I have something that might help you out. Maybe,"_ Erica said, sounding hesitant across the line.

"I'm up to trying anything. Anything to get him back to himself. Fuck that bitch for screwing him over so bad," Laura ground out, thinking about Kate and her smug face. 

Laura never liked Kate from the start of it all but music was Derek's passion and he would rather have chewed on ground glass than listen to his sister about her opinions on his love life. Anyone's opinion, really. He was prickly at the best of times and being with Kate didn't help that, even though they were together for five years of his seven years with The Hunters. 

Since the breakup four months earlier Derek might as well have been replaced by an alien duplicate. He was withdrawn and quiet. Tame. Tepid. As far as she knew he had his groceries delivered to his door and he worked out in his apartment building's small gym. She was truly convinced that she could count on one hand the number of times he'd been outside since the breakup.

It was a big deal in town and Laura figured that probably had something to do with it. The Hunters had some minor success by the point of the breakup and were a favorite act among the locals. That a band made up of hometown people managed to secure some west coast dates to open for a few big names in the music industry was a source of pride, not that Laura blamed anyone for holding The Hunters up as a great act.

They were, and that was the problem. That Derek and Kate split up was one thing but him leaving the band was a big deal, especially since he hadn't said anything about it, even in confidence to Laura. Kate subtweeted the shit out of the breakup once it happened and it was all Laura could do to not drive across town to where she knew Kate was holed up with her new fuckboy and rip her face off. 

Derek never liked being in the public eye, but he didn't have a choice from a young age. Ten years earlier their parents were killed in a car accident. Laura wasn't old enough to take custody of Derek and their younger sister Cora but their uncle Peter moved in with them. The whole thing put the Hale family in the spotlight and Derek had his share of outbursts dealing with everything.

His outlet became the guitar and writing. He discovered his love for music. And, later on, Kate. He thought he struck gold those years ago when he found a gorgeous girl with a great voice and as big a passion for music and playing for people as he did.

He found out too late that she liked to play in other ways, too.

Laura threw her keys on the kitchen counter and opened the fridge to find something to cook for supper as Erica mumbled to herself on the other end. Laura could hear her laptop keys clicking as she tracked down what she wanted to tell her that might work with Derek.

_"Yeah, here it is. Boyd mentioned this in passing a couple days ago because he's friends with one of the guys in this other band. Ever heard of Alpha?"_

Laura thought for a second. "I don't think so? I don't know, though, if it weren't for Derek being in the scene I wouldn't even have known about The Hunters."

Erica continued. _"They're kind of alt rock with some bizarre pop notes mixed in? I don't know. They write their own stuff, of course, but they like to try a lot of different things. They need a bassist because theirs split town or something. It looks like... Scott McCall is their lead singer, that's Boyd's friend. Hmm, looks like they have a bit of a Stars thing going on with the band because some of their stuff is also sung by Allison... oh. Argent."_

Laura let out a short laugh. "Are you _kidding_ me? There's another Argent bitch in this town in a band?"

_"Look, maybe don't say anything to Derek about that part, okay? I'm sure Boyd knows about the Argent chick and he wouldn't be friends with someone so heinous. Maybe they're distant relatives or something? I'll ask him about it later today,"_ Erica argued. _"I'm sending you the link to their Facebook page with the call for audition videos, okay? Check it out for yourself and see what you think. If it won't work that's cool but if you think that this could be something that Derek might be into and if it'll help him what do you have to lose?"_

Laura bit her lip. "Maybe. I'll take a look when I get the link, see how badly I want to risk Derek's wrath by bringing this up."

Erica sighed on the other end. _"You gotta get him to do something soon or he's not going to have the few friends he has now. Isaac says he can barely get a text back from him most days. I think he's a little worried he's done something to piss Derek off."_

Laura snorted. "No, that's just Derek's default setting."

***

Laura didn't look at the link until later that night after she got some paperwork out of the way for the consulting business she worked for. She was able to do a lot of work from home, which was a blessing these past few months. She knew Derek wasn't a basket case or needed constant hovering and that he was, indeed, capable of taking care of himself, but he trapped himself in his own head constantly. Since their parents died Derek took everything on into himself, including all the blame, even when there wasn't any to take. 

Derek hid and wallowed and Laura overstepped and smothered. It was their thing.

She loaded the Facebook page for the band Alpha and watched their call for videos to audition to be their new bassist. The band was young, excited and were obviously best friends with each other. 

On the one hand they seemed to be everything Derek hated. They were enthusiastic and close with each other, a group that might be hard for someone like Derek to break into and feel comfortable. But on the other hand he was already incredibly uncomfortable and losing his way more and more each day. If Laura wanted him to get off his ass and get his shit together she might have to resort to desperate measures.

She thought about it for all of three seconds before flipping through her phone until she found old videos of Derek practicing on his own and playing with The Hunters. She wasn't sure how the members of Alpha would react to someone from a rival band "auditioning" for them but she didn't care. 

She uploaded the videos to her own Facebook and sent the band a message with them attached, leaving the explanation that she was doing it for Derek and nothing more. They could interpret that as they liked. She left her contact info if they needed to get in touch and hoped things would turn around quickly.

She went to bed that night a little less worried about Derek. Not much, but enough.

***

Stiles was in his room with his earbuds in, air drumming to tracks on Spotify. He didn't hear Scott knock and had his eyes closed, lost in the sound, so when Scott tapped on his shoulder he screamed (in a manly way, of course) and jumped out of his desk chair.

"Sorry, man!" Scott laughed. 

Stiles laughed, too, heart pounding as he pulled the earbuds out and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "No worries. What's up?"

Scott's expression got serious and intense, his eyes lit up with excitement. "We got a new audition on Facebook."

Stiles raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Scott's tone. "Yeah?"

"I can't tell you, you won't believe me. Log on."

Stiles gave Scott a 'whatever' look, sure he was trying to pull a fast one on him, but did as instructed. He had their Facebook page open in a few taps and went to their messages.

"Laura Hale," he mumbled to himself, wondering in the back of his mind why that name sounded familiar. The intro was brief, that she was submitting the audition on behalf of someone else, blah blah blah, he thought as he skimmed.

_Derek Hale was a key member of the band The Hunters for years and is now seeking—_

 "Derek _Hale_?" Stiles said loudly, re-reading the sentence as Scott nodded eagerly beside him. "No fucking way, dude."

"Watch the videos!" Scott insisted so Stiles opened the first one and it was one of The Hunters' performances from a couple years back when they played at one of the local bars. Stiles remembered that show because he wasn't technically legal to be in the bar that night and had to pay a friend to sneak him in the back and avoid anyone he knew seeing him just so he could see The Hunters perform. They might be competition now but he knew good music when he heard it and couldn't deny them that credit. 

Seeing Derek Hale perform and in all his bulging-bicep'd glory didn't hurt, either, not that Stiles would ever admit to that.

He stopped the video and gave Scott a disbelieving look. "I was there that night, remember? This is just someone playing a prank on us. There's no way Derek Hale is going to—"

Scott interrupted, pointing to the next video. "Play the other one. I swear, Stiles, this is totally for real."

Dubiously Stiles started the next video and immediately felt his pulse pound hard in his throat. "That's a private video."

"Exactly! That's from right around the same time he started with The Hunters, look at how much longer his hair is! This is totally legit!"

"Are you shitting me right now? Derek Hale wants to be our bassist? Derek _Hale_?" Stiles exclaimed, voice getting higher with every word.

Scott clapped him on the shoulder. "Might have to own up to the crush you've got on him, huh?"

***

It's not like Stiles _mooned_ over Derek. They were from the same town and Derek was a few years older than them so he was something of a role model for Stiles. Derek was a great guitarist, he was Stiles' idea of successful for the time being and he wasn't hard on the eyes.

Correction—he was basically Stiles' dream guy, aesthetically. 

He didn't know _that_ much about him aside from that, though. Stiles knew him growing up but Derek really stuck in Stiles' mind when he was younger because Stiles' dad, the Sheriff, had to work the night of the car accident that claimed Derek's parents. He remembered his dad coming home and quietly relaying the basic information. Stiles all-too-well knew the sting of losing a parent after his mother died of cancer when he was eight, but he couldn't imagine two being taken away at once and so suddenly.

It was a couple weeks before Derek returned to school but once he did Stiles watched him from afar. They never spoke, but Stiles remembered wondering if there was something he could do, or offer in the way of sympathy or the simple camaraderie of someone else who understood. 

But Stiles would never get up the nerve to say anything and Derek wasn't exactly approachable and so life went on. Derek graduated a few years later, then did his own thing before hooking up with The Hunters. By the time Stiles graduated Derek was already a couple years deep in with his band and, rumor had it, hooking up with lead singer Kate Argent.

Seeing Derek on stage with The Hunters was a revelation for a newly-realized bisexual Stiles. The hot lights shone down on a sweat-soaked Derek and suddenly he wasn't the other kid who knew what it was like to lose a parent. He was hot. And he was exactly what Stiles wanted.

This was 18-year-old Stiles' fantasy come to life. He just didn't know that it was still 22-year-old Stiles' fantasy. 

Scott was excitedly showing the rest of the group the videos and then he was going to send a reply back to Laura to say the spot was Derek's. Stiles could hear the music playing from Scott's laptop downstairs as he unbuckled his belt and popped the button on his jeans.

Stiles reached into his boxers to palm his thickening cock he lay back on his bed. He let the thoughts of Derek's strong forearms and nimble fingers playing over his length like he worked the strings on his guitar flood through his mind. He felt like he was a teenager again with his quickly he came, picturing Derek sitting beside him and watching him lose his goddamn mind. 

When he was done and catching his breath Stiles looked down at himself and sighed. "Awesome."

***

Laura knocked on Derek's door a couple nights after their last visit, hoping to earn a few meager brownie points in Derek's book for not just barging in like she'd taken to lately. But if she didn't he wouldn't answer so she hoped that wouldn't be the case now.

Miracle of miracles he did answer and he was showered and he'd trimmed down his growing beard a bit to a cleaner style. It wasn't much but it was a sign of life, or Laura took it as one. Maybe this would work.

"Back so soon?" Derek asked, stepping aside to let her in.

Laura went straight to the kitchen and helped herself to a beer from his fridge, ignoring Derek's eye roll. 

"You didn't come here just for that," he said flatly. Laura shook her head, taking a big swallow.

"Nope, but I need to talk to you and this seemed like a good idea."

"That's always the best way to start a conversation," Derek replied warily but he sat at the table when she gestured. 

Laura pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened her Facebook, going to her messages before offering it to to Derek. He took it slowly, eyeing her suspiciously, but read what she indicated. Within seconds he was giving her a weird look.

"I don't get it."

"That's a message from a band called Alpha. Ever heard of them?"

Derek shrugged. "Vaguely. Local, right?" Laura nodded. "Okay, what about them?"

"That message is actually for you. They're offering you a spot in their band as their bassist. Theirs up and quit suddenly. Left them in the lurch and they've been trying to find someone for a few weeks now."

"And they just _happened_ to contact you about this?" Derek asked, voice hard. He pushed the phone back at Laura and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"No, I contacted them. I sent them a couple videos of you performing and said you'd left your band. That you're looking for a new band to play with and like their sound," Laura explained, looking Derek straight in the eye.

Derek leaned forward, angry. "I've never _heard_ their _sound_ , Laura! I don't even know who these people are! What in the hell were you thinking? What gives you the right to go behind my back and—"

"Because I'm your sister and if you won't take care of yourself I'm going to do it for you!" Laura snapped back before he could get on a roll. "I don't care what you say about how you're 'fine'. You're anything but and you're freaking me the fuck out! I overstepped, yes. But I don't care. I want _you_ to care about something—anything! You've completely checked out and I'm doing something about it. You love music, this band needs someone like that! They're looking for someone to compete with them in the Battle of Beacon Hills so if you stick with them through that it would do _them_ a favor and yourself one. You'll have a routine again, people to associate with who aren't me."

"You shouldn't have done this, Laura," Derek replied but instead of anger he sounded tired.

"I shouldn't have but you shouldn't be locking yourself up in this cell for days on end, either. You were hurt, and no one can take that feeling away. But this isn't the answer for how to deal with everything that happened. Breakups are hard enough but you gave so much of yourself to that band, to make it what it was. This is a way for you to be involved in music again but the hard part is done. They already know what they're doing, they do their own thing. They just need you to do what you do best. Please, Derek. Don't let her win," Laura pleaded. Derek winced, just a little, but enough to know she'd hit the nail so fucking hard on the head. 

"Can I think about it?" Derek asked.

"You can, but I already accepted for you," Laura said, smiling a little. She reached across the table to grab one of Derek's hands. 

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you did." But he let her hold his hand and when she squeezed it he returned the pressure and Laura felt a little better still.

The babiest of baby steps.

***

Stiles couldn't help but be a bit nervous as the band waited for Derek to arrive. Scott received a reply the night before from Laura Hale that Derek accepted their offer to be in the band and Stiles felt a thrill run through him. 

Derek Hale was going to be in their band. Not only was the guy super talented and had some reputation behind him that could give Alpha a boost, but he was hot as hell and just Stiles' type.

The knock at the door made everyone jump and they laughed at each other while Scott went to answer. Stiles sat on his hands and tried to tell himself to calm down. Derek was a musician, just like they were. Nothing more. 

Yeah, right.

Allison leaned across the couch towards him. "Calm down, this is going to be great," she whispered with a smile. Stiles nodded.

A minute later Scott walked back into the room with a wide grin, leading a stoic-looking Derek behind him with a backpack on his shoulder.

"Everyone, this is Derek. Derek this is Allison, Kira and Stiles. Lydia acts as our manager but she's in class right now at the college. You'll meet her sometime later this week," Scott explained, gesturing to each of them as he did the introductions.

Derek gave a small salute and managed a short, "hello" back. 

"I just want to say before we get started that I don't talk to Kate very often and she's not close to our part of the family," Allison spoke up hesitantly. If Derek was surprised of the relation between Allison and his ex Kate or by this offering of goodwill he didn't show it. Just nodded and stayed silent.

Stiles didn't know what he was expecting but Derek was far less ... everything than he'd been expecting. The guy was always older and bigger (those arms!) than him when they were growing up but now he was practically an _idol_ for Stiles. Well, the guy in Stiles' head was his idol. This Derek looked like an awkward turtle.

"I thought we'd get started easy and go over some of our songs, the usual ones we play at gigs and maybe see what you bring to them," Scott explained and Derek nodded. They moved into the den that was their makeshift practice area and Derek brought out his guitar and stowed his case and bag neatly in a corner away from where everyone else's stuff was scattered around. 

Stiles grabbed the sheets he'd printed off with their lyrics and song cues for Derek. Stiles and Scott usually did most of the songwriting so they had their own method for coming up with their songs that didn't always make sense to everyone else. The rest of the group was used to how Scott and Stiles worked and practice was usually collaborative so Stiles had to translate their songs the best way he could for Derek.

"I hope these are helpful, I know this might not be the clearest explanations so just ask if you have any questions, yeah?" Stiles said quickly as he handed Derek the pages. Derek took them without a word and folded them into his back pocket.

"I figure we'll start and you can join in once you get the hand of things?" Scott said as he plugged in his guitar. "Does that sound okay?"

"Sure," Derek said shortly and looked down at his own instrument, fiddling with the strap. Stiles resisted the urge to blow out a frustrated breath and sat down at his drum kit.

"Let's start with 'Kick to the Face' and go from there," Scott instructed. 

Stiles counted them in and Scott fell in naturally as lead guitar. Allison and Kira joined in gradually and the melody built nicely to a place where Derek felt comfortable joining in. He caught on quickly, in a way that made Stiles wonder if Derek familiarized himself with their music before arriving. Good on him if he did.

They flew through half a set until Scott was satisfied and grinning widely as he turned to Derek. "You're a natural, man! You're gonna fit in just great!" 

Stiles watched Derek smiled back tightly and wondered if Derek felt the same. 

***

During a break in rehearsal Stiles walked into the kitchen and found Derek there, holding a glass of water and staring blankly into space. He cleared his throat as he walked in so as not to startle him but Derek barely looked at him. Stiles decided to make an attempt anyway.

"I can't tell you how awesome it is to have you playing with us, man," Stiles started. "I didn't believe Scott at first when I saw the videos you submitted, I thought it had to be—"

"It wasn't me," Derek cut in.

Stiles blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't the one who sent in the videos," Derek explained and Stiles nodded, remembering.

"Right, your sister did it for you."

"Behind my back, actually."

"Uh... so you didn't, um—"

"No," Derek said flatly.

"Why are you here, then?" Stiles asked, confused.

"She didn't give me much of a choice," was all Derek said and Stiles felt a flash of anger. 

"So you don't even want to me here? Don't want to play with us? Because if that's the case you can—"

Derek cut Stiles off again, which only served to anger him more. "I want to play music. That's why I'm here."

Derek put his glass in the sink and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Stiles stewing in his own ire. 

Scott brushed past Derek as he left and gave him a glance back with a frown before greeting Stiles with a wide grin. "Everything okay?"

Stiles literally bit his tongue to keep from blurting out that this was a terrible mistake and Derek was a total asshole. Scott was happy, Derek was a good bassist regardless of his attitude and they needed him.

"I think so," Stiles said and kept it at that. 

For now.

***

Everyone else loved Derek. They didn't think anything of his quiet guy routine or that it was weird that he barely said more than three words at a time. Allison chalked it up to him being reserved and Kira threw in that some serious performers were more offbeat than others. She also pointed out that coming into their group was probably intimidating, at best, because they'd all been together for so long. She reminded them of how long it took her to get comfortable being herself around them as the next newest person in the band.

But Stiles knew better. He kept it to himself, though, because he knew everyone else would brush him off and say he was just being paranoid and would bring up how wary he was of outsiders. Problem was, this time it was justified.

After rehearsal Stiles held up his writing notebook.

"Scotty, think we can get some songwriting time in this week? If we can polish up a couple new songs before the Battle I think our set will be perfect."

Scott frowned. "I don't know about this week. I picked up a couple extra shifts at the clinic for Dr. Deaton. Maybe next weekend?"

Stiles wanted to snark back and ask when he was going to pick up a couple extra shifts for the band but stopped himself. He was riled up over Derek and didn't want to take it out on his best friend. Instead he nodded and escaped to his room.

He sat down and jotted down a few words and phrases, things he had trapped in his brain that needed to get out, but he couldn't seem to get them further than that to make anything close to an actual lyric. He and Scott wrote together and fed off each other. Stiles wasn't sure he knew how to write a song without Scott.

"Fuck," Stiles said to himself, and crawled onto his bed to bury his head in the pillows.

***

"So, how was it?" Laura asked as soon as Derek picked up the phone later that evening.

Derek suppressed a groan and mustered up an, "okay" instead. On the other end Laura groaned.

"That's it? Just 'okay'? Is everyone nice? They're good, right? As good as their videos? Were they nice to you?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yes, Laura. The other kids on the playground were nice to me and shared their milk and cookies with me."

"Fucker," she muttered back. "Seriously, though. Do you think this could be something good for you?"

 Derek paused before he responded. He thought about how warm and welcoming Scott was, Allison's quick assurance that Kate wasn't part of her life and thus not a threat to him, Kira's shy smile— they were all incredibly nice. 

And then there was Stiles. 

Derek felt Stiles' eyes on him throughout rehearsal and more so after their chat in the kitchen. He realized after his words came out that the way they sounded was rather rude and not the impression he wanted to give off, not his first day especially, but he didn't know how to fix it. He wasn't the best at honest social interactions with people he knew well, let alone people he literally just met and under forced circumstances. 

Derek also didn't know how to deal with the blooming seed of attraction he felt start to root as soon as he saw Stiles. Kate left him a mess, the last thing he wanted to deal with was any kind of relationship, real or imagined. That Stiles had gorgeous eyes, skin dotted with moles he wanted to touch and hair long enough for his fingers to get tangled in tight enough to hold him close—it was too much for him to process at once.

"Give me a little more time with them and I'll know better," he said finally. "But I think they're good people."

That answer seemed to satisfy Laura for the time being. She let out a quiet whoop of triumph and hearing the relief in her voice made the knot in Derek's stomach that had been there since she dumped this on him loosen just a little.

***

Stiles avoided Derek as much as possible after the first rehearsal. The Battle was in six weeks and he had to learn their songs and their rhythms so anytime they weren't working at their day jobs they were practicing. 

To his credit, Derek didn't miss a single one and was never late. But he still never said more than a few words at a time and didn't contribute or join in when everyone else started talking or joking. If anything Derek seemed to shrink in on himself a bit. It seemed impossible for a guy of his stature to physically look less than the intimidating size that he was but he managed it, without saying or doing hardly anything.

After practice Derek was the first one out the door, barely saying goodbye to anyone. He never stuck around to hang out, politely declined any offer to stay and watch a movie with everyone, and refused any attempt at bonding with the band overall. 

On the one hand Stiles was bugged because it made him feel like Derek thought they weren't good enough to hang out with or that he wasn't truly committed to the band. But on the other hand it meant Stiles didn't have to look at him or be around him any more than necessary.

It was hard enough rehearsing every day and being able to watch Derek from behind, to see the muscles in his back flex and ripple under his Henley shirts. His jeans fit him perfectly in the back and once when Derek bent over to pick something up Stiles dropped his drumsticks on the floor, turning himself into a blushing mess. Luckily no one seemed to notice. 

Stiles still held a grudge against Derek for being so brusque with him the first day and at his lack of any attempt to more than just a body on stage. Truth be told, it drove Stiles crazy that he couldn't get a read on Derek. 

A couple weeks into practicing together Derek seemed more eager than usual to leave and as soon as Scott declared it over Derek was gone, barely saying goodbye. Stiles looked over at Scott and gave him a look that precisely expressed just how unimpressed he was with their new member. Scott gave him a shrug and officially concluded rehearsal with a few words of encouragement, as usual. 

Everyone scattered, leaving Stiles behind in the den by himself. He looked around and sighed, noting how messy things were. Sometimes Scott and Stiles played Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who was going to clean the den from the band's crap that got left around and built up. Stiles grabbed a garbage bag from the kitchen and started cleaning.

He sorted the recycling from the regular trash, wrinkled his nose when he found a banana peel that he was sure was from at least a week earlier and almost gagged when he discovered half a carton of milk stuck behind an old amp in a corner. Once he got through the grossest parts of the clean up he started to organize everything the way they should be. Put sheet music and picks away, found some new strings and stored them for later.

As he worked he found some papers spilling out of a notebook on top of a backpack he recognized as Derek's. He thought about leaving it but didn't want the papers to get thrown out so he started picking them up, too. He pulled a couple loose sheets from under the couch and glanced at them briefly, then did a double take.

"What," he whispered to himself as his eyes scanned over the verses. 

Derek had neat, precise handwriting that belied the sharp emotion he put into words. Stiles found himself re-reading lines over and over and bobbing his head to a melody that started flitting through his brain.

_You cut me open with my own knife, just to watch me bleed // because your favorite color is red_ , he read and immediately knew the drum beat he could set that to.

He started paging through the notebook eagerly, feeling the rush of excitement he usually got when he and Scott jammed together and came up with new songs for the band. That high when things just _clicked_ and he knew how much fun it would be to play new songs for an audience.

Stiles read a particularly striking line, _I wasn't what you wanted but who cares? // You took every piece built into me_ , and had his eyes closed as he imagined it being a quiet beat before the pulse-pounding crescendo when the notebook was yanked out of his hands. Stiles flailed and he almost tipped over from his crouched position.

"What—" He looked up into Derek's dark, glaring expression, bordering on murderous, and snapped his mouth shut.

"Never touch my stuff," Derek said in a low, growling tone. He grabbed his backpack, shoved his notebook and papers inside and stalked out of the room. A few seconds later Stiles heard the front door slammed closed.

"Shit," Stiles muttered. He honestly wasn't sure if he was more upset about getting caught by Derek, being on Derek's shitlist (actually, he was probably already there) or that some of the best lyrics he'd read in a long time were slipping out of his grasp.

He needed Scott, ASAP.

***

"Scott, you're not _listening_ to me," Stiles pleaded as he trailed Scott around Dr. Deaton's clinic while Scott made his rounds to check on the animals.

"I'm listening just fine, Stiles, I don't think _you're_ listening to Derek," Scott replied patiently.

"But if you read the stuff he wrote you'd understand! His words are amazing! I think if we could convince him to work with us we could write some kick ass songs for the Battle!" Stiles exclaimed.

Scott sighed and cuddled a kitten in his arms as he turned to face Stiles. "He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who's going to open up to us that easily, Stiles. Maybe it's best to leave him alone."

"But we need new songs for the Battle! A couple new ones to work in with our best older stuff so the judges aren't hearing things we've already played a million times. If you're too busy with work we need to come up with something else," Stiles went on, even as Scott was shaking his head.

"We need a bassist more than we need new songs, Stiles. If we push him he could get fed up and quit," Scott countered.

"Please?" Stiles begged. "I'll do the dishes and clean the bathrooms for a month!" Stiles knew how much Scott hated those two particular house duties and silently cheered inside when Scott's expression changed.

"Okay, I'll _try_. But if he says no that's it, I'm not pushing him," Scott said, firmly. The kitten mewled, as if underscoring his conviction.

"That's great, that's wonderful!" Stiles threw his arms up and hugged Scott around the neck awkwardly, earning himself a swipe from the kitten.

"Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here before you rile up all the animals," Scott instructed, but grinned as Stiles left, jumping and clicking his heels as he went.

***

Later that night Stiles was putting the finishing touches on a study guide he was preparing for a high school kid in Delaware. He had an online business providing the guides for high school and university kids to help them study the way Stiles got through high school five years earlier. He didn't sell papers but he did the work to figure out the key points of basic english, history and psych classes and then prepared papers to help the students cram for midterms or finals, based on the course syllabus he was sent from the customer.

He also worked part time during the days at the college library, in their archive and re-shelving books which helped him with his study guides. It was the only way he could make enough money to pull his share of the rent and utilities and still be able to have enough time to devote to the band. He didn't get much sleep but when it came to doing what he loved he didn't care.

Scott knocked and walked in with a hesitant expression. Stiles felt his earlier jubilation dissipate when he saw Scott's face.

"He didn't go for it," Scott said but Stiles didn't need him to say the words. 

"Did he say why?" Stiles asked.

Scott shook his head. "Just shut me down without a second word. Sorry, Stiles. But remember, I'm out now."

Stiles nodded and turned back to his work when Scott left. Guess it was up to him.

***

"Hey, so. Hi." 

That was Stiles' opening when he followed Derek into the hallway outside the bathroom during their next practice. Derek eyed him warily.

"Hi," he replied flatly.

Stiles huffed. "Look. I don't know how to beat around the bush so I'm just gonna say it. You're a great songwriter. I'm sorry I looked—"

"Invaded my privacy," Derek cut in.

Stiles waved his hand. "Whatever I did is beside the point. Your lyrics are good and exactly what we need for Alpha."

"No," Derek said and turned to go into the bathroom. Stiles reached out to grab Derek's shoulder—his very muscular shoulder— and turned him back around.

"Hey, I'm serious."

Derek glowered at Stiles. "So am I. I don't want to write for the band. I don't want to share anything with you. Stop asking me and let. Me. Go," Derek ground out, low and threatening.

Stiles let go of Derek's shoulder and watched him escape into the bathroom before he slumped against the wall behind him. He fucked up.

***

Derek became, somehow, even more withdrawn during practice. He avoided Stiles like the plague but could feel the guy's eyes boring into him all the time. Allison, Kira and Scott were all still nice to him but Stiles' expression hovered between disdain and glaring any time their eyes met. 

Walking in on Stiles flipping through his notebook sent a wave of fear and insecurity through him. He reacted the only way he knew how and that was to lash out. Stiles did, too, and Derek had no one to blame but himself. 

He couldn't help the betrayal that he felt creeping back up in him from the debacle with Kate at the thought of writing for Alpha and them dumping him like a sack of potatoes. Was he worth more than that? He wasn't sure anymore and he didn't want to test it out now. He did enjoy this small group and their camaraderie; he wished he could work himself into it comfortably. He wished he could allow himself to say yes when they invited him for meals or to watch a movie or just to hand out. 

He wanted all of it. But he had that once with Kate and The Hunters and they stabbed him in the back. He couldn't go through that again. 

Laura was starting to notice that he wasn't getting "better" as she called it. She monitored the Alpha Facebook page and saw the pictures they posted, the fun times they documented, and how Derek wasn't in a single one of them since they announced him as their new bassist with such enthusiasm and excitement.

"Are they purposely leaving you out?" Laura asked one night, a few days after Stiles looked through his notebook.

"No," Derek replied.

"So they're intentionally inviting you to have fun with them and hang out and you're shutting yourself in your depressing apartment instead to wallow in whatever the hell is happening in your head?" Laura asked.

Derek didn't reply until Laura poked him in the arm with a sharp fingernail. He shuffled away on the sofa and bit out, "Looks like, doesn't it? I must want to be alone, then."

Laura eyed him for a long minute before pushing up off the couch. She kissed Derek on the top of his head and stroked his hair just the way she knew he liked. 

"I know this is just your fear talking but you're letting it win. And if you keep up with this asshole behavior you've got going on you're not going to keep getting those invitations. These people are not Kate. You have to get that through your head before it's too late. I'll always be here for you but they don't know you like I do. Think about that before you go grumpy Derek on them, okay?"

Derek didn't reply and stayed still until he heard his apartment door close behind her. She was right. He wasn't in a place to admit that to her but he did to himself and that would be the first step. Had to be.

Laura was right and Derek needed to do something about that.

***

The next day he showed up to the house and let himself in without knocking. Weeks ago Scott assured him that he didn't need to wait to be let in, that he was part of the band and their group now. 

"Mi casa es su casa!" Scott declared happily in a way that made Derek yearn for such trust and belief in people again.

Derek walked into the house and noticed that it was incredibly quiet, more so than he'd ever heard before. He could hear some sounds coming from the kitchen so he worked his way to the back of the first floor.

Derek dropped his guitar by the door and stood awkwardly, watching Stiles as he moved around the kitchen with familiarity.

"You coming in?" Stiles finally asked a minute later, words tossed easily over his shoulder. 

"Where's everyone else?" Derek asked as he took exactly two steps forward.

"They'll be along. Picking up some last minute ingredients. Or, in Scott's case, probably buying something pre-made from the deli section of the store," Stiles said with a laugh. Derek frowned. 

"Did I miss something? I thought we were going to practice," Derek said.

Stiles looked up with a smile. "A little later but Scott wanted us to have a kind of family supper before that."

Derek shook his head, cheeks flushing against his will. "No one told me. I ... I didn't know I should bring something. I should go." He turned to grab his guitar but Stiles was across the room and grabbing his shoulder before he knew it. 

"No, hey. Don't go. We didn't tell you because we were sure you wouldn't show up if you knew. Scott likes to make sure we take time to relax and hang out without hanging out feeling like _work_. Y'know?" 

Derek turned back. "Not really."

Now it was Stiles' turn to frown. "Jesus, Derek. You're in a band, not a chain gang. This is supposed to be fun."

Derek just nodded. Stiles quirked his head and gave him an inquiring look for a second, like he was sizing Derek up, but only for a moment. Then it was gone and he was retreating back to the kitchen.

Derek shoved his hands in his pockets, awkward feeling back. He watched Stiles work, stirring things in pots and poking something in the oven with a fork. Finally he sighed.

"Can I help?"

Stiles opened his mouth to reply and Derek could see that he was going to say no. Then he assessed the counters and nodded. "Yes. Yes, you can. Grate the cheese?" He nodded to a block of mozza sitting on the counter with the grater already waiting. Without comment Derek stepped up and started working on his task.

He wasn't sure how much they needed so he grated half the block and then nudged Stiles to check. He shrugged so Derek kept going and did the whole thing.

They worked quickly and efficiently, using very few words and hand gestures. Stiles was making some sort of casserole with chicken and some pasta, broccoli and lots of garlic. Derek wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but he was sure it was going to be good.

"We work well together," Stiles said lightly as he was getting ready to put the dish in the oven.

"I suppose," Derek replied and wanted to kick himself for the throwaway response but he didn't know what else to say.

It seemed to be the wrong thing to say because Stiles shoved the casserole in the oven and closed the door harder than necessary. He gave Derek a stony look and then disappeared out the back door to the yard where Derek had never been.

Derek waited about five minutes before following Stiles. He found him slumped in an old lawn chair in the back yard, picking at the threads from a hole in the knee of his jeans.

Derek sat down beside him on the grass and waited. Didn't take long.

"This is our only shot at this thing," Stiles said, voice more tired than angry.

"What do you mean?" Derek asked, looking up at Stiles, squinting into the sun.

"Scott hasn't come right out and said so but once the Battle is over if we don't win I think Alpha is done, at least done trying for... whatever comes. That'll be it if it's over. We'll play for fun, I guess, but it's coming to the point of do or die for us. I did a couple semesters in college while trying to be in the band but it didn't work out well for me. My dad really wants me to take the entrance exam to the police academy, sooner rather than later. Scott's got his heart set on working with Dr. Deaton at the vet clinic and it's a good thing for him.

"I think he wants to settle down with Allison. Get their own place and do the official couple thing. She and Kira have family businesses they can fall back on and Lydia deals with head hunters every damn day because she already graduated from college and is taking grad school courses 'in her free time'," Stiles said with air quotes and a mirthless laugh. "I feel like I'm the only person who doesn't want to give this up but everyone else has checked out."

"Music isn't easy," Derek said lightly but Stiles still shot him a dirty look.

"No shit, Sherlock. At first it was just fun to hang out and make music, you know? I loved sitting with Scott for hours and coming up with songs and having the girls get just as excited. Even Jackson, the guy you replaced, was on board with everything. I think things started to change when he left. It's like he saw the writing on the wall and shouted it to the rest of the band and now it's all they can see. Alpha's not going to make it," Stiles said glumly.  
 Derek was quiet for a moment, figuring out what he wanted to say. He wasn't the best at talking but if he wanted to try to make an in with this group this was the first step.

"I didn't want to be in another band at all before my sister submitted my videos," he started. Stiles gave him a look that seemed like it was going to launch into a 'fuck you' tirade so he continued. "When she told me about it I felt like she fucked me over just because she didn't like what I was doing with my life. But she was right, I wasn't doing anything with my life. For months, in fact. I stayed in my apartment and thought about how badly I'd been burned. She forced me to check out Alpha's Facebook and when I finally got over being a big baby about it I realized you guys are good. 

"It's not just about putting a bunch of instruments together and making music. You don't 'make' music unless you feel it and you have a connection with your bandmates. That's what I saw with you guys."

"So why have you acted so much like you've got a giant stick up your ass?" Stiles asked bluntly.

Derek paused, then laughed. It came out of him, unbidden, and was loud and echoed in the small backyard. Stiles stared at him like he suddenly revealed he was an alien and it made Derek laugh even harder. 

When he finally got himself under control and he was left with a few chuckles Stiles was grinning widely at him. "That's all it takes, huh?"

Derek nodded and coughed a little. "Guess so."

They sat together watching the birds and listening to the leaves rustle for a few minutes before Derek felt comfortable enough to speak again.

"It's nothing against you or anyone else in the band," Derek said softly. Stiles leaned in to give his full attention. "After what happened with The Hunters I got lost. You guys are..."

"A bit much?" Stiles supplied.

"What I've always thought a band should be," Derek said instead. Stiles blinked in surprise. "Being with Kate made me think I was in a great group and had the world ready for the taking. I wrote with her, or so I thought, but it was _for_ her. But she acted like a dictator. Did you know we went through three drummers in four years?"

"Harsh," Stiles replied. Derek nodded.

"She had me wrapped around her little finger and I had no idea until she dumped me like garbage. Figured she had everything she could get out of me and shit all over everything I thought we were. As a couple, as a band, and myself as a person. How does that even happen?" Derek questioned but Stiles didn't have an answer.

"Sorry, dude. I wish there was something better I could say."

Derek shook his head and gave him a small smile. "I don't think there's anything anyone _could_ say. But it's the first time I've said it out loud."

Stiles raised an eyebrow. "It's also the most I've heard you say in the past three weeks collectively."

Derek snorted but he felt like there was a breakthrough between them now. Like he got where Stiles was coming from and finally someone knew where Derek was coming from. 

It was a start.

***

Instead of practicing after supper Scott wanted the band to go to Jungle to check out one of the other Battle bands that they'd be going up against. Stiles immediately looked across the table to Derek as if he expected him to make an excuse to escape but he nodded and agreed it would be nice to have a night off. 

Everyone else at the table had a look of surprise but Scott quickly grinned and appeared pleased. Derek felt he made the right choice this time.

Walking into Jungle was an odd experience. Derek hadn't been in well over a year, probably since the last time The Hunters played there. It felt weird to be back but he was feeling at ease being with the band since his talk with Stiles. 

Scott and Allison went to grab drinks for everyone while Stiles, Derek and Kira tried to find a table. They tried to find a table as close to the stage as possible and managed to grab a spot to the left and out of the way of the dance floor. While the band set up a DJ played club music with such deep bass that Derek could feel it in his bones.

"Cheap draft for everyone!" Scott crowed when he and Allison worked their way across the dance floor to the table. Derek gamely clinked glasses with everyone and settled back in the booth to take in the conversation. 

Stiles sat across from him so Derek was able to watch him talk animatedly, using his hands for big gestures to get his point across. His cheeks reddened quickly from the beer and he laughed loudly and easily. Derek felt a little jealous at how freely Stiles carried himself, at how easy it was for him to draw attention without even noticing he was doing it. 

Beside him Kira tapped him on the arm and he turned to her, ducking his head a bit to be able to hear her over the loud music.

"Doing okay?" she asked with a knowing expression.

Derek nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

"I'm not a bar person, either, but it's fun with these guys," Kira said, nodding at the rest of the table.

"I'm starting to get that," Derek said and offered her a small smile. She grinned back and Derek couldn't help but smile wider at her. 

Across the table Stiles suddenly stood up on the seat and started waving at someone wildly. Scott automatically reached out and wrapped an arm around Stiles' leg to keep him from losing his balance while Allison slid out of the booth so Stiles could scramble out.

Derek watched him bound across the dance floor and wrap his arms around a redhead in the middle of a large group of people. She gamely hugged him back and let him tug her back to their table. Derek got the impression that this was a common occurrence but it didn't stop him from wondering who she was and feeling jealous that she got such an enthusiastic greeting from Stiles.

"Lydia!" Scott cheered and Derek calmed somewhat, although he was acutely aware that Stiles was still holding Lydia's hand. 

"Hello all," Lydia greeted them, nodding at everyone in turn. When she got to Derek her eyes narrowed as she gracefully shrugged off her coat. "So you're the new bassist."

"Derek," he said, offering her his hand. She accepted it and firmly shook his hand while staring him straight in the eye.

"I hear you're doing well and fitting in," she said in a way that didn't feel like a conversational comment, but more one to size him up.

"I think I am," Derek replied cautiously. Lydia seemed like she wanted to ask more but Stiles interrupted her.

"Who wants a second round before the band starts?" he asked, holding up the empty pitcher. Lydia slid into his empty spot in the booth beside Scott.

"Better make it two, looks like it's getting busier," Allison said, nodding to the crowd gathering at the bar. 

"Glass of red for me, please," Lydia replied before she turned back to Derek.

"I'll come with you," he said, sliding out of his seat and following after Stiles. Lydia smirked at him with a knowing look and shook her head slightly at him as he went.

"That's the band manager?" Derek asked, leaning in closer to Stiles' ear so he could hear easier.

Stiles seemed to jump a little but nodded. "She's not around much because of school but she's amazing. How she does everything she does for us in the few hours a week she can spare is more than we could do put together. She's swung us free advertising for gigs, looked into getting us on some national tours, keeps us up to date with what our upcoming schedule looks like for gigs—stuff like that. She doesn't have to worry about anything if the band folds, though. I'm sure with those hours back she could cure cancer or something," Stiles joked.

"You like her?" Derek asked, aiming for a casual tone. They reached the bar and managed to work their way to the counter. Stiles turned toward Derek but he stayed facing forward, not wanting to look directly at Stiles.

Stiles shrugged. "Used to. Like her like that, I mean. We're best friends now but middle and high school were rough, holding out for her like I did. Didn't matter who else came up, no one could hold a candle to my crush on Lydia Martin."

"What changed?" Derek asked.

Stiles laughed. "She told me I didn't stand a chance, for one, and Theo Raeken. Transfer student in senior year. He was a total dick, it turned out, but for a couple weeks in October I realized pretty damn quick that Lydia wasn't the only person I had eyes for."

"What happened to Theo?" Derek wasn't sure he wanted to know but he was curious.

"Dunno. He was kind of weird anyway. I little too intense for me, anyway," Stiles finished. He managed to get the bartender's attention and pointed to the pitchers and a wine bottle. While they waited for the pitchers to be filled he turned back to Derek. "I feel like this is where I ask you if you have any stories of the one that got away but I think I know more already than you want me to."

It was Derek's turn to shrug. "It is what it is."

"Must make for some great songwriting material," Stiles said lightly. Derek just gave him a look and fished his wallet out and threw some bills down when the bartender brought their pitchers and glass of wine back.

"I got this one," Derek said.

"Thanks man," Stiles said and clapped Derek on the back before grabbing one of the pitchers and Lydia's wine.

Derek grabbed the other pitcher and went to follow Stiles but a hand on his back stopped him. 

"Derek," a familiar voice purred in his ear. Derek barely repressed a shudder, either from the feeling of breath across his neck or because he knew that voice and it was recurring in his nightmares. 

"Kate," he replied tightly, pulling away from her and putting some distance between them.

She looked gorgeous, of course. Her hair had its usual tousle that he used to think of as "just fucked", mainly because it was, by him. She was wearing skin tight leather pants, a thread-bare t-shirt and a leather jacket. What he used to see as edgy and rockstar he now saw as sad and desperate.

No matter how hot she was. 

"What are you doing here? Bartending, maybe?" Kate asked, perfectly lined and glossed lips curved in a condescending smirk. She looked down at the pitcher in his hand that he wanted so badly to pour over her head. 

"Not exactly," Derek replied, trying to stay calm. He hated this. Hated her for doing this to him. He was a grown adult, how did this woman still have such control over him? How could she make him feel as big as an ant, surrendering to the boot about to squash it?

Kate raised an eyebrow and he could see her start to figure things out. "You're kidding me. You've joined another band? What pathetic group of losers did you worm your way into?"

Derek's cheeks flamed read and he opened his mouth to bite back but a warm arm curved around his waist and Stiles came into view at his side. He must have gone around them and come up behind Derek so she wouldn't see him.

"Always good to see you, Kate. How's tricks?" Stiles asked with a grin as he pressed up against Derek's side with incredible familiarity much to Derek's surprise.

"Haven't learned that Trix are for kids yet, Stiles?" Kate mocked.

Stiles laughed. "The kind of tricks you know aren't appropriate for kids, Kate. Haven't you learned that yet?" he threw back. 

Kate's face darkened and she pursed her lips. "At least my band has a pending record contract."

Derek felt his heart sink but Stiles laughed. "Kate, isn't that your positive affirmation every day? Because _every_ band has a pending record contract, according to the most desperate member of it. And from what I hear, you're pretty damn desperate right now."

Derek didn't know what was going on but whatever Stiles said must have struck a nerve because Kate lost all semblance of cool and stepped forward, as if to get into Stiles' face. Derek took a step as well and this seemed to make her more angry, her face getting red as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Fuck your shitty band," she hissed before doing an about face and stalking off.

Derek waited until she was gone before turning to Stiles. "What the hell was that?"

Stiles let him go easily and reached out to take back the pitcher and glass of wine from the counter behind them. "I have a couple friends in other bands who are close to people in her band. They're all laughing behind her back. Her 'pending record contract'? Is from the Battle of Beacon Hills. Don't know how much you want to know—"

"All of it," Derek said grimly. 

"I guess she's got an ear of one of the judges and thinks she's going to be able to swing his vote for them. She's freaking because she doesn't think the songs she has now are as strong as when you were in the band. Everyone's already heard them all and she wants new stuff. But I guess the guy who took your place isn't a writer or that great a bassist and the only thing he's good at is, well. Personal between them."

"Is that your way of trying to say that she's fucking the new bassist?" Derek asked and Stiles nodded. Derek shrugged. "Figured."   
"Sorry, man," Stiles said.

"For what? Seeing her for the first time since we broke up wasn't as bad as I built it up in my head and watching you make her head explode was actually pretty cathartic. I knew she wouldn't be alone long when she dumped me and I had a hunch she was cheating on me. But knowing that she's losing her mind over not having control over her band and the songs right now? Probably the best thing I could have heard ever," Derek explained, feeling lighter with every word. He realized everything he said was the truth and he didn't have to push it down and hide from it.

From across the room Derek caught sight of Kate who was staring straight at him. He looked away but out of the corner of his eye he saw her lift something in the air. He glanced back and felt his breath catch.

She was holding up one of his old notebooks. One that he thought was somewhere in his apartment or in a box of stuff he took from Kate's apartment when they split. 

The light, free feeling he had mere moments before suddenly tanked and was replaced with hot, seething anger coursing through his veins.

Kate grinned and raised a middle finger at him before disappearing into the crowded club. Derek wanted to throw up, to punch a hole in a wall, to scream until he was hoarse. The betrayal kept coming from her corner and he didn't know how he was ever so stupid to think she was good for him.

"You okay, Derek?" Scott asked from behind him.

Derek spun around on his heel, fists clenched and eyes flashing angrily.

"You want new songs? You're gonna get new fucking songs." Stiles blinked for a split second, then broke out into a wide grin.

"Fuck yeah, we will!"

***

"So how do you and Scott usually do this?" Derek asked the next day before practice. He arrived early so they could start writing together. He wasn't sure how it would go with Stiles because he never worked with anyone else, let alone someone like Stiles, but right now he'd try anything.

Stiles shrugged. "We've known each other for so long that one of us could just say a word or sentence or bring up a topic and then we just build on it."

Derek hummed but shook his head. "I don't know if I work well that way."

Stiles thought for a second. "There were a few lyrics I read in your notebook—again, sorry about that— but they stuck with me. You write like you're telling a story instead of trying to capture an emotion."

Derek hesitated but then asked, "Which one was it?"

Stiles closed his eyes as he slowly remembered it, " _It might be better to have loved and lost, but I'm ready to find myself again. I think I'm hidden in the ruins you called a relationship._

Derek couldn't put his finger on how it felt to hear someone else say his words back to him but that Stiles remembered all this time was striking for him. 

Stiles opened his eyes and waited for Derek to respond but Derek was staring at him, lost in his thoughts. "Well?"

Derek blinked. "Uh, yeah. I guess we could work off that and see what we come up with."

***

"In my head this song has a quick beat, loud and pounding and then the bridge is like climbing a peak, we fall off and then it builds up again from soft," Stiles explained while tapping out a rhythm with his drumsticks on the table. Derek thought about it, closed his eyes while trying to put the beat with his lyrics and thought he could hear what Stiles meant.

"Okay, but what if instead of a bridge we double up on the chorus with a tweak in it before the final verse and we can add the piano in here," Derek suggested, strumming a couple chords.

Stiles' face lit up. "Yes! I'm also hearing some of Kira in here on the violin but I think maybe we want to save that for 'You're the Worst'?"

Derek nodded and grinned. 

Could have sworn he felt something physically click inside him when Stiles grinned back.

***

"No no no!" Derek yelled. "That's not the point of the song!"

"What are you talking about? The words are _right there_!" Stiles exclaimed, jabbing a finger at the papers scattered around them.

"It's a metaphor, Stiles!"

"A 'metaphor'," Stiles mocked back, using air quotes.

"It's supposed to have a double meaning, doofus!"

"Doofus?" Stiles laughed. "Are you 12?"

"Shut up, fuckface," Derek groaned, covering his face but he was smiling. His blood was pumping through his veins and his eyes were bright, his hands felt like they couldn't stay at his sides for the first time in ages. They'd only been writing together for a week but it felt almost natural now, something that amazed Derek.

"Everything okay in here? We heard yelling." Allison poked her head into the den with a concerned look on her face.

"We're great!" Stiles said, grin stretched across his face. "We're making some great progress here." He gestured to the piles of paper with scratches all over them and pieces of crumbled paper that they'd resorted to throwing at each other.

Allison looked dubious but she left them alone to keep writing.

***

"I hate this one," Stiles muttered a week later as he angrily crossed out another line. He was talking to himself and trying to keep a beat as he mouthed the words to the current song they were working on. 

Derek could feel his frustration and it rubbed off on him, making it hard for him to concentrate and get a grasp on the words. Derek could feel what he wanted to say but couldn't make the words form sentences in the right order to make sense. 

"Can you stop that for five minutes?" He asked tiredly over his shoulder.

Stiles let out a snarl of frustration and threw what amounted to a tantrum, beating on his snare drum erratically for a few seconds before throwing his sticks down.

"I don't be able to find the right beat if I can't work it out," Stiles said in an irritated tone as he slumped down on the couch beside Derek who didn't rise to the bait. 

"This song isn't something I'm as comfortable writing," Derek said, more to himself but Stiles sat up anyway.

"Because you haven't gotten any in a while?" Stiles asked offhand. Derek bristled at that but still didn't reply.

"Come on, you've been in a mood all day. What's up?" Stiles asked, reaching out and shoving at Derek's shoulder.

"Don't," Derek replied testily. Stiles slid closer on the couch and started elbowing him lightly. Derek sighed and turned to look at Stiles who had a sly grin on his face. "Fuck off. We have to get this finished tonight so everyone can start it tomorrow."

"Mr. Grumpypants, tell me what's wrong," Stiles mewed as he pursed his lips in a pout. "Are you gonna be a sourpuss all afternoon?" Stiles moved his leg over Derek's, pushing the final button.

"Grow up," Derek snarled back and pushed Stiles' leg off him.

Derek stood up to get away from Stiles but Stiles was right behind him, face to face. Derek felt like rearing back and punching Stiles in his smug face but instead he reached out, grabbed his head with both hands and kissed him, hard.

Stiles flailed for a moment, but quickly wrapped his arms around Derek's waist and held on to the shirt hem while he pressed closer to Derek and opened his mouth easily. Derek wasted no time seeking out Stiles' tongue and exploring him. Stiles moaned and held Derek closer, started walking them backward until Derek hit the wall. He leaned back and spread his legs enough for Stiles to step between them. Stiles ran his hands up Derek's back to his hair and ran his fingers through Derek's thick dark hair while his cock started to thicken between his legs.

Derek felt Stiles' body and his own responded in kind. He became aware of how quickly things were moving and reluctantly pulled away. Stiles tried to chase his mouth but Derek shook his head. Stiles seemed to realize the same thing and stepped away, touching his mouth gently.

"Uhm," Stiles managed. 

"Yeah," Derek replied.

Stiles ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "I'm going to get a glass of water and take a minute. Then we're going to come back and write that damn song."

He left and Derek let his head tip back against the wall. "Yeah, I think we can manage it now."

***

The next day the band practiced the song and Derek's cheeks flared red through it all. 

Wisely no one commented on it.

***

"Hand me the eraser?" Stiles asked absently, holding his hand out to Derek who had it last. Derek passed it over and their fingers brushed innocently but Derek jerked his hand back like he'd been burned.

Stiles rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

"Sorry," Derek muttered.

About a half hour later Stiles turned too quickly and almost ran straight into Derek's chest but Derek reached out and stopped him first, then quickly dropped his hands and averted his eyes. Stiles sighed and reached out to tip Derek's face up to look at him.

"Look... as much as I'd love to make out with you right here, right now on this couch and every other surface in this house—I get it. You don't have to be so jumpy, okay? I understand this can't happen," Stiles said, gesturing between them, even as the disappointment filled him like a shallow pool. He wouldn't push. He wouldn't put the band or their chance at winning the Battle at stake. 

 No matter how much the loudest parts of him were screaming to do just that.

***

Stiles knocked on Scott's door the week before the Battle. 

"Come in," Scott called out and Stiles let himself in, collapsing on Scott's bed on his stomach t watch his best friend do some school work on his computer.

Stiles didn't say anything until Scott looked up, brow furrowed. "What's up?"

"If we don't win this Alpha is done, right?" Stiles asked bluntly. Scott blinked and closed his laptop, then rolled back from his desk.

"Why are you asking?" 

Stiles looked pointedly at the laptop and Scott's books. "I can read the writing on the wall. I don't know if everyone's hearts have been in it for a while."

"Yours has," Scott pointed out.

"Yeah, I've been in this for as long as I can remember and I will be for as far I can see ahead. I'm not mad or anything, I've had time to think about it."

"Yeah?" Scott asked. "What did you come up with?"

Stiles sighed. "I'm not sure, actually. You know how easy we work together? How much fun it is to write together and because we've known each other for so long it's like we share a brain?" Scott nodded with a small smile. "It's not like that with Derek. But there's... there's _something_ there. It's so different than when I write with you because that's easy."

"Writing with Derek isn't easy?" Scott asked, seeming confused.

"It's not easy but it's not difficult, either. It's so different. When he puts words together it's like blowing my mind apart and putting it back together. It's not fun like when you and I write together. It's _exciting_."

"Gee, thanks," Scott said sarcastically but with a laugh. "Could that have anything to do with how you feel about Derek?"

Stiles blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Stiles, no one around here is blind. Even Lydia, who only met him for a few hours at the show a couple weeks ago, called you two happening. There's an energy between you two that works well."

"That's what I think too," Stiles admitted. "But for now we're not doing anything about it because the Battle is important to both of us. And there's where I get scared."

"Scared?"

Stiles sat up on Scott's bed and took a deep breath, feeling like he was hollow and could break from the inside out by saying the words out loud. "I've never felt this kind of creativity before, you know? When Derek and I write together I sometimes get chills from how amazing the flow is. The words... they just work, like us. But if we don't win this and the band ends that's it. Derek's done, he's gone. But I feel like the words are gone, too. Like I'll never get them back."

Scott sat with Stiles in silence for a few minutes before replying. "I get it, I do. When Allison and I got together and we connected there were moments we would have that took my breath away because it felt like she _got_ me. In ways you couldn't because even though, like you said, we share a brain, it's almost as if the new things aren't as big to us anymore. But with someone else the new things are freaking amazing. Does that make sense?"

Stiles nodded slowly. "I think so." Stiles tugged at some frayed strings at the bottom of his pants. "I really like him and I think we could be amazing together. But if we never write together again after this Battle I don't know if I can take that. I don't know if I'll know what to do without him in my life."

"Stiles," Scott started gently, reaching out to pat his best friend on the shoulder. "He still lives in town and you have his cell phone number. The last thing I could ever see you doing is giving up on someone like that so easily. You're probably the most annoyingly persistent person I've ever met ever."

Stiles laughed, a loud relieved sound and collapsed back on the bed. Scott scrambled on top of him and hugged him tightly, like they used to when they were kids.

Stiles hugged Scott back. "Goddamn I'm glad you're my best friend, Scotty."

"Same, buddy."

***

"They were really good," Allison said, standing in the wings watching one of the bands before them finish their set.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Stiles felt his stomach clench because he heard how well Starkbeat and the Starlings did, how loudly the audience cheered for them. He wished he could be in a soundproof booth until they had to go on but there were still two other bands before them. The Hunters would go on last and Stiles would bet the whole contest that she got some lowly lackey to change the schedule that way for her. 

Derek was quiet, standing off to the side and staring at nothing. Stiles wanted to go over to him, to offer something in the way of understanding or support or say something that could snap him out of his fugue but Stiles wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind, either. 

"Oh shit," Scott muttered under his breath and Stiles turned to see what he was looking at. 

Kate was walking over to them, in leather pants and with perfect fuck-me hair, a cherry red color staining her lip like she just drank the blood of a virgin. 

"Probably did," Stiles mumbled to himself.

"From one band to another I just wanted to come over and say that The Hunters wishes you luck tonight," Kate said in a sickly sweet tone but with a sarcastic smirk.

"Thanks Kate," Allison spoke up for everyone with a smile, always trying to be the bigger person in any situation. Good on her, Stiles thought. "Good luck to you, too."

"Thanks Ally, but we don't need it. And when we win I want you to know I can find a place for you in my band, don't worry," Kate replied and Stiles felt his hackles rise. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Derek stiffen, as well, and Scott visibly bristle at Kate's words.

"I'm fine where I am, thanks," Allison replied, smile gone and tone hard. 

Kate shrugged and turned to Derek. Stiles had unconsciously moved to block him somewhat, standing between them.

"Derek, I know after tonight this will be your second band ripped out from under you. I'd be happy to pay for you to write for The Hunters when this is over. You know, once the songs I already have run out," Kate said, grinning widely. 

Stiles stepped up to her, finished with her rubbing it in whenever she could that she thought she was better than them. 

"And what does the rent-a-cop have to say? Aren't you clinging to this dream because you'll never be able to step into daddy's big shoes?" Kate taunted Stiles.

And suddenly Stiles didn't care anymore. The Battle would happen and they'd perform and if they didn't win that was fine. He was done fighting for something that had its moment. If they won that was another thing but he was at peace.

"Know what, Kate?" Stiles started. He saw Scott start toward them, as if to break them up but Stiles held up a hand to stop him. "Every one of us is here because we love this band and each other. I don't think you've ever been able to say that genuinely about anything in your life."

"She hasn't," Derek piped up, surprising everyone, especially Kate from the venomous look she gave him. He stepped up beside Stiles. "If we win that's great. If we don't that's okay, too. All I really want now is to beat you. Not your band or any other band here tonight. _You_. I'm okay with losing, Kate. But I promise that we'll beat you and I'll be happy enough to see you realize you're no better than me and even more so when everyone else does, too."

"Genuinely, Kate. Good luck," Stiles said with a wide grin as he slung his arm around Derek's shoulders casually. Kate flipped her hair over her shoulder and stormed off muttering something about _losers_ under her breath.  
Stiles stepped back from Derek but punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Feel better?"

"Kind of. I don't think she'll ever change but I meant what I said. I want to beat her, even if we come in second last. As long as she doesn't win and we get to see the egg on her face I'm happy."

"Sounds good to me," Scott said as Allison and Kira nodded in agreement. 

"Alpha, ten minutes to set up!" someone yelled from behind them.

"Ready?" Scott asked, focusing on Stiles. 

Stiles nodded. "Ready."

***

Even though the new songs were upbeat and totally in line with Alpha's regular sound Derek couldn't help but feel the resignation in their beats. He had the feeling like this was the band's way of saying goodbye to themselves.

Derek played angled so he could watch Stiles who was practically vibrating with energy as he led the songs with his rolling beats and thumping rhythms. By the end of their four-song set he was drenched in sweat. When they got off stage it didn't stop Stiles from hugging Derek tightly, rubbing his cheek against Derek's stubble and making him laugh.

"Thanks," Stiles said quietly without the rest of the band hearing as he pulled away. 

"For what?" Derek asked and Stiles shrugged.

"You made this whole thing a lot easier. I know it was hard for you too, in your own way, but you being here and doing everything you did helped me see it's not all bad."

"We could still win," Derek blurted out. Now he was the one who didn't want this to end. The idea of not hanging out with Stiles anymore, or any of the band really, was suddenly very, very possible and real to him. His sister would be so proud of him.

"Yeah," Stiles replied, but his tone was tinged with sadness. "We could."

Before they went back to the stage to do a quick equipment change Derek grabbed Stiles' hand and squeezed it tightly. Stiles laced their fingers together for a brief moment, then was gone. They packed up their instruments to make way for the next band and then waited.

***

"Votes have been tallied and we have the results!" The announcer held up an envelope over her head and the crowd screamed. 

"I'll read off the top five bands. The three bands with the most points will win prizes ranging from $5000 to an exclusive record contract with Sonic Sound! The other two finalist bands will have an automatic entry into next year's Battle contest!

"Here we go! In fifth place... Ladybird!" The crowd cheered and clapped, a few disappointed noises coming from the far corners but the band graciously waved from neat the front of the stage.

"In fourth place... Alpha!" Derek felt like his heart was in his throat. He could see the pride Scott, Stiles, Allison and Kira had, and he felt pretty damn good himself, but their challenge to Kate still stood. 

They waved and Scott and Stiles hugged. Derek could see Scott say something into Stiles' ear that made him nod and smile at his best friend before glancing back at Derek quickly. Derek game him a small smile and Stiles nodded back. Derek didn't know what that meant.

"In third place and the winner of $5000 is the Alex Nygard Experience!" Derek hunched in on himself, fingers crossed in his pockets.

"Second place goes to Starkbeat and the Starlings! Which means our first place band who wins the record contract is _The Yellow Jackets_!" The announcer revealed, pumping her fist as any other sound was drowned out by the overwhelming reaction.

Stiles stood up in his chair with both fists in the air and screamed his approval with the rest of the band joining in. Derek clapped and whistled until his hands hurt and he couldn't purse his lips any longer. 

They didn't win, as expected. But they beat The Hunters.

Now what?

***

The doorbell jolted Stiles out of his thoughts and he realized he'd been staring at the same paragraph in his study guide for the Sheriff's department test for at least five minutes. He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Scott, can you get that?" Stiles yelled.

Silence.

"Scott?"

The doorbell rang again, twice.

Stiles swore and pushed away from his desk in his room. He checked Scott's room on his way to the door but it was empty. Stiles suddenly remembered Scott mentioning that he was planning a day of fun romance with Allison and Stiles sighed again.

"Right," he muttered to himself as he trudged to the front door.

He didn't bother checking to see who it was before swinging it open with a less than impressed expression to greet the visitor. Maybe he should have.

"Stiles."

"Derek."

"Hi."

"What's up?" Stiles asked, leaning against the door frame and trying desperately for nonchalantness but he was sure it was coming off more awkward. 

 Derek was here at the house for the first time in two weeks. Stiles picked up his phone probably ten times a day to try to compose a text to Derek that didn't sound desperate and sad. He didn't realize how much he would miss Derek, even in his grumpy, snarky moments. Just having him in the house made Stiles feel better and after two weeks of his routine being totally messed up on top of no Derek he was feeling lost. 

Seeing Derek with his perfect scruff and well-worn blue jeans, standing in his doorway like nothing was different felt like hope and dread and fear all at once.

Derek shifted and looked around, over his shoulder and seemed generally uncomfortable. Finally he shrugged. "Can I come in? I have something I need to talk to you about."

Stiles wanted to say no, it was his first instinct but one borne of the need to protect himself from getting hurt. But he stepped back and let Derek in the house, closing the door quietly behind him.

Derek went straight to the living room and sat down on the ratty couch and fiddled with the cuffs on his leather jacket.

Stiles sat on the arm of the chair a few feet away and waited. Derek seemed to be working up to something and Stiles had to admit he was curious, if wary.

"After the Battle I got a call from an old friend of mine, someone who works at a label in L.A.," Derek started after about a minute of silence.

Stiles didn't say anything but he crossed his arms as if to hold in his thoughts that were trying to explode out a million different ways.

"Laura shared the video of us performing from the official Battle promotors and my friend caught it, passed it on to someone higher up. My buddy's label wants to set up a meeting or web chat or something with us" Derek explained.

Stiles felt frozen. He stared at Derek with wide eyes, unable to believe what he was saying even though he really, really wanted to.

"Stiles?" Derek asked, then snapped his fingers in front of Stiles a couple times. Stiles blinked, then glared at Derek.

"You know Alpha's done now," Stiles replied, feeling like he'd just taken a knife to the heart. 

"Doesn't have to be. You could get in touch with everyone and see if they still want this shot. Or..."

"Or?" Stiles asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"We could start our own band," Derek suggested. "You're the drummer, I'm the guitarist and singer."

Stiles blinked and was quiet, unsure if he could believe that this was really coming out of Derek's mouth. "Are you serious?"

"Stiles, we work well together. Really well," Derek said slowly. He paused and looked down at his hands before continuing. "And I miss you. I don't know how it happened because it shocked the shit out of me when I realized it, but I really fucking miss you."

Stiles grinned despite himself. "I miss you, too, grumpypants." Derek grinned back, then seemed to swallow hard.

"And this might be the biggest mistake I'll ever make but I think it'll be a bigger one if I don't say this before you answer. I want to take you on a date, a real one. I want to see if something could work between us off the stage."

Stiles sucked in a long breath. "Are you sure? After everything?"

Derek shook his head. "No, I'm not. I know you're not Kate, sure. But I also know that there are absolutely no guarantees for what's going to happen to me. If we end up getting signed and working together all the time I think it would kill me to be so close to you all the time and not have you in my life in every way."

Stiles sized him up for a second. "You've already written a song about this, haven't you."

Derek burst out laughing, long and loud, and it made Stiles' heart clench. _He_ made Derek sound like that. How could he possibly say no to someone who sounded like that when he laughed?

"And if getting signed doesn't work out?" Stiles asked. 

Derek shrugged. "You want to keep performing and making music even if there isn't an album and we're in Beacon Hills for the next ten years?"

Stiles didn't even have to think about it. "Yes."

"I do, too."

Stiles got out of his chair and sat beside Derek on the couch. Derek tentatively reached out and covered Stiles' hand before Stiles laced their fingers together. 

"Just promise me we don't turn into one of those twee indie bands and I have to wear a cutesy polka dot dress while birds fly around our heads on the album cover."

Derek leaned over and kissed Stiles slowly, before whispering against his lips, "I'll wear the dress."

Stiles nodded and pulled Derek back with him against the cushions. They needed to make new material for the album.


End file.
